In IS-2000 packet data systems, a mobile station (MS) needs to have a packet data session (as defined by IS-835 P.S0001-0) already established and be in either an active or a dormant state to receive data packets. While radio resources and the selectors may be released in a dormant state, there are still significant static resources maintained in the packet control function (PCF) and the packet data serving node (PDSN) devices. Current standards work in 3GPP2 is defining an “Always-On” feature in which MSs can stay in a dormant state for very long periods of time. As more MSs are deployed with this type of feature and more “push” or “telemetering” type data applications (i.e., applications sending unsolicited data such as stock quotes, sports scores, etc.) are developed, maintaining the static resources, as is done presently, for numerous dormant MSs and for long periods of time is likely to become equipment and cost prohibitive. Therefore, a need exists for an apparatus and method to support a reduced resource dormant state for packet data that substantially provides the benefits of present dormant mode operation without the resource maintenance costs.